The field of the disclosure relates generally to additive manufacturing systems and, more specifically, to systems and methods for manufacturing a three-dimensional component using a build file including at least one function.
Additive manufacturing systems and processes are used to fabricate three-dimensional components. For example, in some additive manufacturing processes, successive layers of material are solidified one on top of the other to fabricate the components. At least some known additive manufacturing systems use a laser (or similar energy sources) and a series of lenses and mirrors to direct the laser over a powdered material. Some known additive manufacturing systems include Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and LaserCusing systems.
Some known additive manufacturing systems include a controller that receives electronic files and directs the laser using the electronic files. In some known additive manufacturing systems, the electronic files include coordinate data that describe a series of linear sections, e.g., vectors, to approximate portions of the three-dimensional components. However, complex three-dimensional components require a plurality of linear sections to approximate portions of the components. As the file size is increased to accommodate the plurality of linear sections, the time required for the controller to receive and process the electronic files is increased. As a result, the cost to produce three-dimensional components is increased. In addition, the electronic files limit the precision with which the additive manufacturing system is able to produce the three-dimensional components.